In the English speaking West we do not like body hair. Woman have been long expected to remove their body hair by any means possible and can even feel dirty or inhuman if it grows back. This trend was started in 1915 in the USA. Men used to be encouraged to grow body hair, a hairy chest being considered 'sexy'. Now many men choose to remove their chest hair, but only in some circumstances remove hair from legs. Body hair is natural to both men and women, but we are presented with a ideal based on 'sex appeal' in films and advertising that demonises it. Interestingly, in the Mediterranean and other parts of the Western world, female body shaving is practically unheard of.
Smoothies
The word 'smoothie' is relatively new to the naturist world. It relates to the totally hairfree body where even pubic hair is removed. The totally smooth body is an ancient Athenian aesthetic ideal. There are now many dedicated naturist organisations and clubs dedicated to this ideal for both men and women, such as World of the Nudest Nudist.
The sensations you feel with body hair are very different to those you can feel when you are totally smooth. I find that although psychologically you feel more naked without body hair, the loss of physical sensation renders you feeling less naked! I find that the wind is mainly felt by it stimulating your body hair, and if you are hairfree you no longer notice the wind to the same degree. Water is similar, especially if the water and air temperatures are the same. With body hair you feel 'wet' and can gauge how submerged you are, with a smooth body water is much less noticeable and it feels like you can effortlessly glide through it. Perhaps that is why professional swimmers shave their bodies?
As a useful exercise if you have always had body hair, try removing it for a while, and if you have been smooth for years, try growing it back, you will notice many interesting differences.
Natural or Unnatural?
Some people think that shaving off body hair is unnatural. If you feel this way, that is fine and you should keep your body natural. If you feel differently, that is fine too, just as long as any body alterations or adornments feel natural to you. Body adornment is a personal act of worshipping your body, the important point is that it comes from the heart and not from conditioning or peer pressure.
Who decided women should shave their legs and underarms?